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It’s rare that the top player in the country’s choice comes down to two schools that have never won a national championship. For Peyla Carcaterra, that was a feature, not a bug, in her recruitment.
The Sacred Heart Greenwich (Conn.) and Prime Time attacker got all the overtures that you’d expect for the No. 1 player in the class. The top player in the inaugural One Percent girls’ rankings, Carcaterra could have gone anywhere she wanted and joined forces with a perennial contender looking for the next piece of hardware for its trophy case.
For Carcaterra, though, her decision came down to Florida and Syracuse. The Orange, for which her father, Paul, was an All-American and mother, Ann, swam, have made it to Memorial Day three times but have always come away a bridesmaid. The Gators have only been on the scene since 2010, but they’ve reached the Final Four three times. Neither has claimed a national title, though, and Carcaterra found herself drawn to the appeal of building something up.
“I kind of surprised myself because neither of my top two schools have won a national championship,” Carcaterra explained, “but that kind of sets a different fire and drive in me instead of going to a school that has traditionally always won.”
See You in the Swamp
Ultimately, Carcaterra saw the best fit for her in Gainesville. She committed to the Gators, giving Florida the centerpiece of its ’28 class. To say that Carcaterra is a monumental get for Amanda O’Leary and her staff is underselling Carcaterra’s commitment. She scored 55 goals and added 25 assists for a Sacred Heart team that finished in the national top 10. Incredibly creative with an outstanding stick and a knack for taking over games, Carcaterra is set on bringing that first title back to the Swamp.
“I thought it was super important to be open throughout my whole process,” Carcaterra said. “If you told me three years ago that I’d be going to Florida, I’d have been pretty surprised. Both staffs really believed in me and have absolutely incredible people. This whole process wasn’t easy by any stretch, but I believed in taking my time and having an open mind. That’s what I went by.”
Florida may not have any women’s lacrosse national championships – yet – but the Gators are a well-established athletic powerhouse across the college sports landscape. That didn’t hurt UF’s pitch, and O’Leary and her staff showed Carcaterra that she would be a focal point of the Gators breaking through the glass ceiling.
“I picked Florida mainly because of my connection with Mandy O’Leary and the staff,” Carcaterra said. “She has an infectious personality and she’s surrounded herself with talented coaches. The opportunity to play in an offensive system run by (men’s 2021 Tewaaraton winner and PLL All-Pro) Jared (Bernhardt) and (former Syracuse All-American) Emma Ward was an amazing opportunity for me. I truly believe that Florida has all of the pieces and resources together to take things to the next level.”
Not Afraid of the Work
Carcaterra hasn’t snuck up on anyone on the field in a long time. She’s been the country’s premier player for a while, whether it’s for Sacred Heart or Prime Time, and it’s not something from which she shies away. Quite the opposite, actually. She happily embraces the target that’s been put on her back, knowing full well that it comes with everyone’s best defender, early slides, face guards and anything else teams will throw at her. That mentality will serve her well in Gainesville, too.
“I just think it adds more fuel to the fire,” Carcaterra said. “I’d rather have people try to stop me than just be another person on the field. It drives me to a different level, personally. I absolutely love it. I want to be put with the best defender. It’s hard with constant slides right after I catch it and doubles right away, but it only helps me become a better player. I’ve developed a lot as a passer and I’ve gotten better at keeping my head up when dodging so I can scan the field. I like seeing how the defense plays me and countering it.”
Picking the Gators was a pretty big counter to the norm, too. Chances are that it’ll pay off.